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.gif) Useful information |
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 Airport Facilities |
Where to stay |
Airline Offices |
Tourist
Information Service |
| Reservation |
Business Hours |
Car Hire |
Church Services |
| Clothing |
Electricity |
Film and Photography |
Newspapers
and Magazines |
| Embassies |
Etiquette |
Tourist Police |
Medical Services |
| Tipping |
Radio and
Television |
The
temporary import of vehicles (Tourism) |
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| Airport Facilities |
 Bangkok International Airport is located some 22 kilometres
north of Bangkok. The Domestic Terminal and Cargo Terminal
are also located nearby.
>>Limousine Service
A regular coach and private limousine service for transfers
between Bangkok and the airport are provided. The Limousine
Service Counter is located at the Arrival Hall on the Ground
Floor of the International Passenger Terminal on the Southern
side. All vehicles are air-conditioned and the rates reasonable.
Mini-bus (joint-seat) to any hotel in Bangkok 100 baht per
person Shuttle bus (to Asia Hotel and Viengtai Hotel) 60 baht
per person Sedan (to downtown Bangkok ) 300 baht per trip
Bus to Pattaya Beach 150 baht per person Sedan to Pattaya
Beach 1,500 baht per trip
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>>Taxi Service
Taxis are available
for hire at the authorised Public Taxi Stand next to the Meeting
Point south of the Arrival Hall in the International Passenger
Terminal. Taxi drivers are only permitted to pick up passengers
at these authorised stands and they are not allowed to offer
their services to passengers in the terminal building. Fares
are between 50-300 baht per trip depending on destinations.
Fares to various destinations are posted at the taxi stand
as a guideline to foreign commuters. Passengers are strongly
advised not to use the services of private car drivers who
may not be insured to carry passengers and are not licensed
to ply for hire. All authorised taxis carry a yellow license
plate and a rooftop TAXI-METER sign. No tip is expected.
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>>Buses
Air-conditioned and regular public buses constantly travel
downtown from Don Muang Airport. Passengers wishing to take
the bus can do so by walking to the Bus Stop located on Vibhavadi
Rangsit Highway. Fares on regular buses cost only 3.50 baht
for any distance, while fares for air-conditioned buses range
from 6 baht for the first eight kilometres to a maximum of
16 baht. Fares are collected onboard. Bus numbers indicate
routes. Buses can be uncomfortable and crowded especially
during rush hours and will therefore have very little or no
room for luggage. Regular Buses from Don Muang Airport to
town are buses numbers 29, 59, 95 and air-conditioned buses
numbers 4, 10, 13 and 29 Passenger Service Charge (Airport
Tax) A passenger service charge, to be paid at the airport
check-in counter, is required of all international and domestic
passengers passing through Bangkok International Airport.
International passengers 200 baht per person Domestic passengers
30 baht per person Please note that foreign passengers whose
passports have been stamped upon arrival are considered to
have entered the Kingdom of Thailand. Therefore, when leaving
the country they are required to pay the passenger service
charge.
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>>Left Luggage
The Left Luggage Room at Bangkok Airport charges 20 baht
per item per day with a maximum storage allowed of 3 months.
Tel. 5351250, 5351255
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>>Baggage
Claim
On arrival at
Bangkok International Airport, all international passengers
are processed through immigration and passport control, then
onto the baggage reclaim area where luggage is fed onto a
conveyor or carousel showing the number of each flight.
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>>Baggage
Service (Lost and Found)
A Lost and Found Counter, located at the Arrival Lounge,
is manned round-the-clock, seven days a week. If you leave
anything on an aircraft or an airline bus, please contact
the airline concerned immediately.
Tel: 5352173, 5352811, 5352812
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>>Trolleys
Trolleys are
provided in both the Departure and Arrival Lounges of the
International Passenger Terminal. No fees are charged. Passengers
are free to use them.
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>>Duty-Free Shopping
All four of Thailand's international airports have duty-free
shopping facilities. The most extensive is at Don Muang International
Airport, the main port of entry. Smaller duty-free shops can
be found at Phuket and Hat Yai in the south and Chiang Mai
in the north.
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| Where to Stay |
Thailand has world-class accommodation which is probably
unsurpassed in terms of attentiveness, courteous service and
affordability. Major tourism destinations such as Bangkok,
Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Phuket and thriving commercial centres
such as Hat Yai, Khon Kaen, Lampang and Nakhon Ratchasima
offer modern first- class hotels with every conceivable convenience
and international-standard convention facilities for groups
numbering from 200 to 2,000 and upwards. Family-style hotels,
bungalow complexes, guest houses, houseboats, hostels, motels,
spartan but cleap Chinese-style inns and hotels, and beach-side
huts complete a range of accommodation costing anywhere from
a few dollars daily to hundreds of dollar a night. Current
listings of accommodation and rates are available from Tourism
Authority of Thailand's local offices in Bangkok,
Central: Kanchanaburi, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Lopburi,
Pattaya, Rayong, Cha-Am Nakhon Nayok, Trat
North: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phitsanulok, Tak
Northeast: Nakhon Ratchasima, Ubon Ratchathani, Khon
Kaen, Nakhon Phanom, Ubon Thani
South: Hat Yai, Phuket, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat,
Narathivat
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| Air line Offices |
Some so airlines maintain offices in Bangkok. A complete
listing may be found in the English edition of the Bangkok
Telephone Directory's Yellow Pages.
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| Tourist Information Services |
Tourist information is available at the Tourism Authority
of Thailand head office in Bangkok, local offices in 22 major
cities (listed in the back cover) and the TAT information
counter in Bangkok Airport and at every airport where there
is a TAT local office. They provide maps, brochures and useful
information on tours, shopping, dining and accommodation.
All TAT information offices are open seven days a week from
8.30 AM. to 4.30 PM.
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| Reservations |
>>Rail
Train tickets of all classes may be purchased 90 days in
advance at principal stations and at the Advance Booking Office
(in Bangkok Railway Station) during 08.30 AM. - 06.00 PM.
on weekdays and 08.30 AM. - 12.00 AM. on Saturdays, Sundays
and official holidays. Some major travel agents in Bangkok
also provide train reservation services. To obtain further
information, please contact the Bangkok Advance Booking Office
Tel. 2233762, 2247788, Telex: 72242 SRT BKK TH.
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>>Air
Plane tickets
can be reserved through any Thai Airways International Ltd.
office in some no cities around the world, or through any
authorised THAI travel agents.
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| Business Hours |
Most commercial concerns in Bangkok operate on a five-day
week basis. Government offices are generally open between
8.30 AM and 4.30 PM with a noon to 1.00 PM lunchbreak, Monday
through Friday, except on public holidays. Private businesses
maintain much the same hours - - perhaps 8.00 AM to 5.00 PM,
with certain exceptions. Many stores open 12 hours a day,
seven days a week.
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>>Business
Centres
Certain
major hotels provide fully equipped business centres for visiting
executives. Services customarily include secretarial work,
typing, photo- copying and fax facilities, conference rooms
and reference libraries.
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| Car Hire |
Those possessing valid International Driving Licenses may
prefer to hire automobiles. English- language road signs and
maps are commonplace. The Bangkok Yellow Pages list local
and international automobile rental companies. Visitors are
advised to shop around since most companies offer different
conditions. Self-drive and chauffeur-driven automobiles are
widely available. International car hire companies such as
Avis and Hertz also operate in Pattaya, Hat Yai, Phuket, Chiang
Mai and Samui Island.
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| Church Services |
Christian churches are found in Bangkok and most provincial
capitals. Services are mostly in Thai, with certain services
in English, French and German. Local English-language newspapers
provide comprehensive listings of services in Bangkok.
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| Clothing |
Light, loose cotton clothing is best. Nylon should be avoided.
Sweaters are needed during Cool Season evenings or if visiting
mountainous areas and remote national parks. Jackets and ties
are required in certain restaurants and night-clubs.
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| Electricity |
The electric current is 220 Volt AC (so cycles) throughout
the country. There are many plugs and sockets in use. Travellers
with shavers, tape recorders and other appliances should carry
a plug-adapter kit. The better hotels will, make avail- able
110 Volt transformers.
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| Film and Photography |
Major international film manufacturers maintain excellent
photofinishing laboratories. Instant developing can be done
within one hour. Popular films are available countrywide at
reasonable prices. Still photographers are free to shoot almost
everything. Movie cameras are not 'allowed without permission
in Bangkok's Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha Chapel complex.
Photography is also prohibited in certain branches of the
National Museum.
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| Newspapers and Magazines |
Thailand's English-language newspapers, the Nation, the Bangkok
Post and Thailand Times keep readers abreast of local and
international events. Major English language magazines and
newspapers such as International Herald Tribune, Wallstreet
Journal, Newsweek, Time and Asiaweek are readily available
at hotel newsagents, supermarkets, department stores and leading
bookstores.
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| Embassies |
Some so countries maintain embassies, consulates or legations
in Bangkok. Most are concentrated around the Sukhumwit, Phloenchit,
Witthayu and Sathon Road areas. A complete list of such missions
is featured in the Yellow Pages of the English edition of
the Bangkok Telephone Directory.
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| Etiquette |
Polite behaviour is welcomed everywhere, and what is considered
polite in other countries is probably considered polite in
Thailand, too. However, there and a few cultural pitfalls,
mainly social and religious taboos, the breaking of which
can cause offence:
For example, Thais revere their royal family. Even social
malcontents who ignore legal and community standards refuse
to tolerate a faintly implied slight on the Thai monarchy.
Outward expressions of anger are regarded as crude and boorish.
The visitor who remains calm and smiles appreciatively will
find all sorts of doors open to him.
Visitors should dress neatly in all religious shrines. They
should never go shirtless, or in shorts, hot pants or other
unsuitable attire.
Shoes should be removed when entering private Thai homes;
chapels where Buddhist images are kept; and any of the Islamic
community's mosques.
Each Buddha image, large or small, ruined or not, is regarded
as being a sacred object. Never climb onto one to take a photograph
or do anything that might show lack of respect.
Public displays of affection between men and women are frowned
upon. Westernised Thai couples may hold hands but that's as
far as it goes in polite society.
It is considered rude to point your foot at a person or object.
Thais regard the head as the highest part of the body, both
literally and figuratively. Therefore, they do not appreciate
anyone patting them there, even as a friendly gesture.
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| Tourist Police |
In 1982, the Tourist Police was set up to coordinate with
the Tourism Authority of Thailand in providing safety for
tourists. Its responsibilities are receiving and acknowledging
claims and complaints; to conduct investigations and acting
as co-ordinator of tourist security protection. At present,
some 500 tourist policemen are stationed in major tourist
areas such as the Grand Palace, Phatphong and Lumphini Park.
Bi-lingual Tourist Police are attached to Tourism Authority
of Thailand offices in Bangkok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya,
Pattaya, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Ubon Thani, Khon
Kaen, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Phitsanulok, Nakhon
Sawan, Surat Thani, Phuket and Songkhla to provide speedy
assistance to visitors. In case of emergency, contact the
Tourist Police Centre Unicohouse Building Soi Lang Suan Ploenchit
Rd., Bangkok Tel: 6521721
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| Medical Services |
All tourism destinations and provincial capitals have
hospitals and clinics staffed by well-trained doctors and
nurses. In case of emergencies, ambulances can be summoned
from any private hospital.
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| Tipping |
It is not necessary to tip cinema ushers. It is customary
to tip porters and hotel personnel who have given good personal
service. A 10%-15% tip is appreciated in restaurants, particularly
where service charge is waived.
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| Radio and Television |
AM radio is heavily commercial - - there are some 200 stations
nation-wide - - and appeals to popular taste. FM radio offers
popular music, classical music, jazz, English-language news
broad- casts and the original soundtracks of certain imported
filmshows shown on local television's five channels. Leading
hotels have colour televisions in each room, offering either
video features, satellite and / or cable television or tourism-related
English- language programmes.
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| The Temporary Import of a Vehicle for the purpose
of Tourism |
- Valid International Driving Licence
and passport or equivalent documents are required.
- Vehicle registration or, in the
case of a borrowed vehicle, authorisation documents from
the owner are required.
- Cash guarantee or bank guarantee
or self- guarantee is required. If vehicle is brought
in through Bangkok or Klong Toey Port, cash guarantee
or bank guarantee is essential. If entry is via land across
the southern border then it is accept- able to guarantee
oneself by completing the customs form, giving necessary
details to the customs officer and signing the record.
- Permission is granted for a e month
period from the date of entry,
- In the case of having requested
to bring the vehicle in for a period of just 5-10 days
and then wishing to extend the length of stay, a renewal
can be granted free of charge by the Customs Department.
- Procedure:
- Contact the customs office
at the relevant border.
- Customs officer will complete
an additional incoming form and at the same time check
documents as in No.2 above and also fix the self-guarantee.
- In the case of cash or bank
guarantee, the customs officer will evaluate the price
of the vehicle according to its condition plus 20%
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